Paget’s Disease of Bone – Symptoms & Treatment

Osteitis deformans, a chronic bone disease, is characterized by excessive bone regeneration and breakdown in the afflicted bone(s). Many individuals have no symptoms. Paget’s disease of bone is uncommon in those under the age of 50 and becomes more prevalent as you become older.

Paget’s Disease of Bone

With excessive and disorganized bone turnover, including excessive resorption and creation, This is an uncommon chronic bone illness. This is how your body regenerates new bone while destroying old bone. Bone fractures (breaks) are more common in people with Paget’s disease of the bone. A disease that affects a joint’s area may lead to arthritis.

Symptoms

Joint discomfort is a potential indication of Paget’s disease of the bones, which is frequently symptomless. Due to the absence of symptoms, many people with Paget’s illness are unaware that they have it. Additionally, they could confuse any signs for other bone diseases like arthritis.

The most frequent signs and symptoms include discomfort in the joints or bones. Joint swelling, soreness, or redness of the skin over the regions affected by Paget’s disease are additional symptoms. Some people discover they have Paget’s disease only after breaking a weak bone and realizing they have it.

Some bones are most typically affected by Paget’s disease such as the pelvis, spine, skull, femur, thighbone, & tibia, or shin bone. Numerous important nerves in the body pass through or near the bones. Therefore, abnormal bone development might result in bone compressing, nicking, or damaging a nerve, resulting in discomfort.

Diagnosis

Your doctor may be able to identify Paget’s disease based on your symptoms and a physical examination if the bone is enlarged or curved. They might also consider any Paget’s disease family history. However, to confirm it, x-rays and blood tests are frequently necessary.

A blood test may detect an elevated level of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase. Alkaline phosphatase levels can increase due to a variety of illnesses besides Paget’s disease.

Therefore, more testing will be necessary before a conclusive diagnosis. A physician may request an isotope bone scan. A radioactive isotope injects into a vein in a very small quantity.

When the body is scanned with a specialized camera, the isotope will be plainly visible in the sections of bone afflicted by this disease that have accumulated over a short period of time. The radioactive material dose is too low to be harmful and soon leaves the body.

Treatments for Paget’s Disease of Bone

Paget’s disease of the bone does not yet have a treatment. However, it can assist with the symptoms. Your doctor could advise keeping an eye on your health and postponing therapy if you do not have any symptoms. The primary therapies are:

• Medication: The pain-relieving medications that aid in controlling bone regrowth.
• Supportive therapies: A few of these include physical therapy, occupational therapy. Also, it aids like walking aids or shoe inserts.
• Surgery: If additional issues such as fractures, deformities, or serious joint injury arise, this can be necessary.
• Get enough calcium and vitamin D: Vitamin D and calcium support strong, healthy bones. Make sure you get adequate calcium and vitamin D through food and/or supplements.

Outlook

An abnormality of the body’s absorption and bone regeneration process is Paget’s disease of bones. Deformities and weakness may result, in raising the possibility of fracture and damage. The symptoms of Paget’s disease, however, are frequently minimal or non-existent. Many people who have the condition would not even be aware of it. If therapy starts before to the onset of deformities or deficiencies, the prognosis for Paget’s disease of bone is favorable. There is, however, no complete treatment for the illness.